A Momentary Grace
by Kizmet
Summary: A new master vampire in Sunnydale brings changes to Buffy and Angel's relationship.
1. chapter 1

**A Momentary Grace**

Disclaimer: Characters and Premise are borrowed from the show "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer."

The world shone eerily in the light of the blocked sun, the tribe's mystic claimed it was a sign that the world would soon end. 

Kelvasus laughed bitterly, he could have predicted that without any odd behavior from the sun and moon. Of course, he was a practical man, mystics were always claiming the end was near, but this time the messages in the heavens were being backed up by the Roman legions. So while the world might continue, despite the signs, it was likely that his people would not. 

Which was why he was here, atop a lonely hill deemed sacred by his people, pleading with gods he'd never truly believed in to give him guidance and the power to push back the Romans. 

As usual the gods weren't being very punctual about answering. Oh well, at least up here he could escape the defeatist meanderings of the old mystic. 

When he heard footsteps behind him, Kelvasus jumped, startled, quickly raising his clumsy bronze sword in preparation to defend himself. 

Kelvasus was silver haired with age, well into his third decade, but a large man still fit from a life time of battle. The newcomer on the other hand was little more than a child, slender and feral in appearance, with pale skin and brilliant eyes that seemed to glow in the cool half light of the eclipse. 

"Who are you?" Kelvasus demanded, the youth was not of his tribe, and thus not to be trusted. 

"One who answers your prays," the boy replied. 

"You are one of the gods?" Kelvasus asked in shock. 

The boy laughed, "Not quite, still we seemed to have interests in common, so I though I'd offer my assistance." 

"What can you offer," Kelvasus scoffed. "One more sword won't throw back the Romans, that is if you can even wield a sword. Go home child, you have nothing I need." 

Again the boy laughed, lifting his face to the sky, overwhelmed with hilarity. "I offer power," he said turning back to Kelvasus, his eyes glowing yellow, his features twisted in a demonic mask, gleaming white fangs showing as he spoke. "I offer strength and eternal life, in return all I ask is that you do as you wish and kill the Romans." 

Kelvasus dropped to his knees offering his sword to the supernatural being. "Why?" he asked. The creature shrugged, a very human gesture, contrasting oddly with his horrific appearance, "It amuses me," he replied. "Besides Romans taste bad." 

The boy gripped Kelvasus' shoulder with figures that seemed forged of iron and effortlessly drew the larger man to him. When the creature's fangs sank into Kelvasus' neck the chieftain began to struggle. Now he knew what the creature was, no god at all, but one of the undead. 

When the boy finished he offered Kelvasus his blood in return. Dizzy from blood loss and shock the warrior tried to back away from the monster. Angrily the boy cried, "Drink fool, take the power I offer, or die here and let the Romans win." 

Kelvasus knew he didn't want to die here, like this, leaving his people without a protector. Hesitantly he reached back toward the boy. 

================================================================ 

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	2. chapter 2

**A Momentary Grace (part 2)**

Disclaimer: Characters and Premise are borrowed from the show "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer."

The vampire wasn't acting... well vampiry, Willow thought. Normally when Buffy or any of the Slayerettes encountered one of Sunnydale's more exotic varieties of night life it would attack them, or it would be in the middle of doing something evil. 

This vampire was simply standing in the center of the cemetery, completely alone, apparently unaware of Willow or Buffy's presence and in full vamp mode. Which was also weird. In willow's experience with vampires, which had become extensive in the three years since she had met Buffy Summers, vampires rarely ran around town looking like vampires. That was unless the vampire was feeding, fighting, or just really, really irate. Still, that pretty much covered the bases for normal vampiric activities, Willow thought, excepting Angel, of course. 

Which was precisely what made this vamp so unique, he wasn't doing any of those things, he didn't seem to be doing much of anything at all. That made it all the weirder that he hadn't noticed either Willow or Buffy, both of whom were standing only a few yards away from him. 

As Willow pondered upon the vampire's oddities, Buffy stepped firmly into the clearing. "Hi ugly!" she said brightly, waving to the vampire. 

Distractedly the vamp glanced up at her, "Flee mortal," he growled baring his fangs at her. 

Buffy removed a stake from her jacket and tapped it thoughtfully against her chin, "Hmm," she said, "You must new in town. Let me introduce myself... I'm Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, and I don't do fleeing." 

The vampire stepped forward examining Buffy carefully. "I expected someone more formidable," he said. 

"Sorry to disappoint," Buffy replied shifting to a fighting stance. Slowly the vampire began circling her. Buffy's eyes followed him, her body tensed, waiting for the vampire to attack. 

"Will, don't let him get between us," Buffy warned glancing over at her friend. As she did so the vampire stepped back, fading silently into the night. 

"I hate when they do that," Buffy announced running toward the spot where the vampire had disappeared. 

"It's so inconsiderate to leave without saying good-bye," Willow seconded. "I wonder what he was doing." 

Both girls examined the spot where the vampire had been standing. A circle of black rope had been lain out in the grass, inside the circle were two small metal plates, one with a pile of white dust, the other piled with red dust. A small unlit candle stood exactly between the two plates. 

"Ooh, these look like spell components," Willow said, her face lighting up, as it always did at an opportunity to put her newly acquired skills as a witch to use. 

"What kind of spell?" Buffy asked. 

Willow stepped into the circle to examine the dust piles more closely. Hesitantly she reached out to touch the dust, rubbing a pinch between her fingers then smelling it . 

"They aren't herbs," she said. "More like some kind of metal, I'll have to test them to find out what kind, then I'll know more about the spell." 

Okay we have a plan," Buffy announced. "We collect Shy Vamp's magic stuff, take it back to school, you and Giles figure out what he was doing, then we stop him." 

"A plan," Willow agreed digging in her backpack. "A good plan, even." Smiling Willow produced a pair of zip-loc baggies. 

"Ooh, preparedness girl!" Buffy exclaimed. 

================================================================ 

After school the following day Buffy and Willow met with Giles, Xander and Oz in the library to discuss the previous night's occurrences and Willow's findings. 

"Wow Buff, you're getting quite the reputation," Xander said. "The vampires are running away from you." 

"Most unusual," Giles commented. "Willow, were you able to learn anything about the spell the vampire was attempting to cast?" 

"Well... um the powders were Magnesium and Iron oxide," Willow paused. "I think he might have been casting some sort of seeking spell, 'cause Magnesium is usually used to bring illumination, either figuratively or literally, and Iron oxide's mostly for direction. So direction and illumination, mix them together and poof, you get a spell to find something that's hidden." 

"Cool," Oz said. 

"Yes, a most excellent job," Giles added, "Now if we could determine what he was looking for." 

"Well, this is just a guess," Xander said. "But would it possibly be some kind of world ending magical type thing?" 

"Yeah," Buffy added. "We've got so many of those kind of things just lying around Sunnydale. Someone ought to open a shop or something." 

"They would call it `Apocalypse Now'" Xander continued. 

"Yes, Yes," Giles interrupted. "Undoubtedly it is something unpleasant, but we need to determine specifically what he was after. Buffy, was there anything distinctive about this particular vampire?" 

"Not really, just your average tasteless suit wearing, adult, blood sucker," Buffy replied. "I could ask Angel, he might have heard something." 

Giles was unhappily aware of the eagerness in Buffy's voice. Since Spike's last, thankfully brief, visit to Sunnydale, Buffy had been avoiding Angel, and given last year's disastrous events, Giles couldn't help but thing that her decision was really for the best. Still it was all too clear that Buffy missed him and welcomed any opportunity to see Angel. Just as it was clear that, despite the impossibility of their relationship, Buffy still loved Angel. 

"I'll come with," Xander offered. 

"I don't need a chaperon," Buffy snapped. 

"Of course not," Xander replied. "I just wanted to do a little catching up with Dead Boy." Buffy glared at Xander, "Since when?" 

"I just like reassuring myself of which side he's on," Xander said. 

"Enough," Giles stated. "Xander, Buffy go check with Angel. Willow could you see if you could learn anything more about the spell. Perhaps you could see if Amy or Michael know anything about it? I'll check the Watchers' diaries for any vampires known to be especially proficient with magic. Oz could you assist me?" 

Buffy's lips pursed angrily, but she didn't argue. Things could never go back to the way they had been with Angel, and she couldn't really blame Xander or Giles, especially not Giles, for not welcoming him back with open arms. she was just thankful that Willow had accepted him. Still it was annoying that they didn't seem to trust her with him. 

Willow looked over at Giles, "I'll check with Michael. We haven't managed to de-rat Amy yet." 

Giles looked pained. 

================================================================ 

"Buffy," Angel greeted her with a sleepy smile as she walked into the mansion's living room. 

"Sorry to wake you Angel," Buffy said. "But there was a new vamp in town. He was looking for something with magic. We were just wondering if you knew anything about him?" 

"I don't think your vampire came alone," Angel said. "I've run into several representatives from a new coven in the last few nights. They did seem to be looking for something. Your guy is probably with them. I didn't recognize any of the ones I saw, but they knew me." 

Xander standing just inside the door, demanded, "What do you mean they knew you?" 

Angel shrugged, "I talked to a few of them, suggested that Sunnydale was my territory and I wasn't in a mood to share. They told me that their lord went where he pleased and that it would be in my best interest to join him or stand aside. One of them went on to say that Angelus had done an impressive amount of damage in Europe, but that I `lacked the vision of their lord'. They want me to meet with their leader tonight. I was going to tell you about them after I knew more." 

"Sure, right," Xander interrupted. 

"Xander..." Angel didn't know what to say. How could he ask for Xander's trust or forgiveness. He'd tried to kill Xander and his friends, he'd tortured Giles, he'd tried to destroy the world... He had killed Jenny Calendar. Willow had returned his soul but nothing could undue the evil he had done. 

"So, tonight you find out who the new chief creepy in town is," Buffy interjected brightly. 

"Tonight," Angel repeated gratefully. "You should stop by tomorrow, while the sun's still up, so I can let you know what I find out." 

"Hmm, that way the vamps won't know and you can collect more info another night, if need be." Buffy said. 

"Well if Angel doesn't want to be seen with us we'd better be going, huh Buffy?" Xander said. 

"We should go," she agreed regretfully, "I'll see you later Angel." 

Angel walked them to the door, Buffy stopped just short of the pool of sunlight in the doorway and turned back to Angel. She reached up to touch his shoulder, staring into his dark, soulful eyes and said, "Be careful tonight." 

A half smile touched Angel's lips. 

"Thank you," he whispered brushing a strand of honey blond hair back from Buffy's face. 

"Uh-huh," Xander cleared his throat loudly. "Time to go Buffy." 

Angel watched them leave, then went to prepare for the night, sunset was less than an hour away. He was meeting the town's new vampire element at Weatherly Park. 

Pulling on a dark maroon silk shirt Angel wondered how much the new coven actually knew about him. Obviously then knew about his early life as a vampire, but did they know about the gypsies and their cursing him with a soul? If so tonight could be a trap. On the other hand, his sire Darla had known but she had still continued believing that until he had been forced to kill her in order to protect Buffy. 

In any case, he would still go tonight. What he was gave Angel a unique ability to help Buffy, to make some small reparations for last year. A chance to show he was on Buffy's side , to her, to Giles and to the others. 

In a way, things were like they had been when Buffy had first come to Sunnydale. Then he'd been an outsider, the `Cryptic Guy' who'd shown up to give Buffy brief warnings, then vanish back into the shadows. He'd maintained a distance from Buffy despite his attraction to her. He'd wanted to protect her, she was so young and being the Chosen One was a heavy burden. He'd loved her from the first time he'd seen her, back in LA, but he'd kept his distance. He was a vampire, one of the monsters. Back then he'd know he had no place in her life beyond the information he could give her. 

Then he'd forgotten, had let himself become involved with Buffy. He had come to consider Willow, Xander, Giles and even Cordelia friends. And look what it lead to. 

Now he and Buffy knew the dangers of being too close, so they kept their distance. Knowing what they did it should have been easy, but every time he saw her, he could only think of how much he loved her. Angel had been alive for two hundred and forty odd years before meeting Buffy Summers, and until then he had never been in love. Until he began helping Buffy he had never done anything in which he could take pride. She was the only thing that gave his life meaning, he would have gladly died for her. But for Buffy's sake he had to stay away from her. 

================================================================ 

Angel left the mansion at sunset, reaching Weatherly Park only moments before two of Sunnydale's latest additions to the after dark crowd. Angel tried to pick-up on anything distinctive enough about the newcomers to allow Giles to identify them. In his earlier encounters all he could come up with was their restraint, both in dress and behavior. Most vampires he'd met tended toward displays of power, especially when dealing with a potential new ally. And while very few vampires dressed like Hollywood thought they should, they usually didn't dress like conservative business people either. It just wasn't a look that blended well with the late night crowds that provided most vampires with their basic nutritional needs. 

These two were no more distinctive then those he'd met earlier. "Angelus," the taller of the pair greeted him. 

"And you are?" Angel asked, deciding to match their civility rather than maintaining the aggressive demeanor he had assumed in his earlier discussions with this group. "Cletus, this in Nev," the designated spokes-vamp replied. "Have you considered joining us, as we asked." 

"I've considered it," Angel replied, "but truthfully I've never been much of a joiner, besides which you guys haven't been real forward about what I'd be joining." 

"True, however our lord prefers to explain our purpose to newcomers himself. It cuts down on miscommunications. Furthermore it offers him a chance to screen applicants himself. Our lord has always felt too many vampires lack selectivity in both their choice of followers and progeny," Cletus said. "They accept any followers they can dominate and choose their off-spring on a whim. Quite frankly, your handling of Drucillia reflects poorly on you. Her unique talents made her a promising candidate, but your games spoiled her potential. You are only being considered because of your reputation as a formidable warrior and your relative youthfulness during the whole Drucillia incident." 

"What I did to Dru was a mistake," Angel commented. 

Nev nodded in approving agreement. 

"Please come with us," Nev said, gesturing to a rental car parked outside of the park. 

"Where?" Angel asked. 

"Don't concern yourself with that," Cletus said, "In fact until some things have been decided I'm afraid we must insist the you be blindfolded." 

"I think you're forgetting yourself," Angel stated, "You're visitors, uninvited ones I might add, in my town." 

"Angelus, you don't control the vampire community in Sunnydale, Trick does and that is open to change. You are being offered a rare opportunity, show a little grace," Cletus replied. 

"I'm not overwhelmed with enthusiasm," Angel said. 

"Then just humor us," Nev said. 

Angel shrugged, he would have liked to tell Buffy where the new vampire stronghold was located, but he was hardly surprised at their precautions. 

He got in the car and allowed Nev to blindfold him without further protest. 

The drive was quiet, and longer than Angel felt a town like Sunnydale could justify, unless they were taking a round about route to throw off his sense of direction. They needn't have bothered, Angel thought, he didn't drive often enough to recognize even a simple trip in a car. 

When they stopped Angel reached up to remove the blindfold, an iron grip restrained him. One of his escorts made an amused tsking sound. Angel guessed it was Nev, it seemed more in character for the quieter vampire. Cletus seemed a little too fond of pompous pronouncements. 

The pair guided him for a few dozen paces, and inside what seemed to be a relatively small building, before removing the blindfold. 

Angel found himself inside a small nondescript room, the furniture was cheap and the single window was boarded up. An older looking vampire sat before him on a straight backed kitchen chair. 

The vampire was dressed like his followers, in gray slacks, a white dress shirt and a navy blue sports jacket, but his shoulder length white hair and the heavy bronze torc around his neck hinted that his origins were more exotic and ancient than his clothing would suggest. 

"Be welcome Angelus," he said, gracefully gesturing for Angel to seat himself in another chair. "I am Kelvasus, lord of the Toramon." 

"Never heard of them," Angel said dismissivily. 

"Our days of glory were ended long before your birth, but our time will return, and soon." 

Angel leaned back in his chair faking a bored yawn. "Well, lets hear it, how do you plan to conquer, or destroy the world?" 

"I don't," Kelvasus replied, "I merely wish a small kingdom, defensible by those loyal to me. As a human I was the leader of a Celtic tribe during the Roman invasion of our land, despite the fact that Rome was already in decline my people lacked both the numbers and the technology to halt the Roman advance. Then I was granted a great boon, vampirism. I shared my gift with my people, for years we defended our valley against the invaders, but the Romans eventually learned our weaknesses. They came in the day, seeking our sanctuaries, burning us out of our homes. In the end I was forced to call a retreat, taking the remainder of my people into hiding. We have remained hidden since that time. We came to `your' charming little town because it possesses the last two things we need to create the kingdom I desire." 

"And those are?" Angel asked. 

"You aren't one of my people yet," Kelvasus said. "You must excuse me if I keep some secrets." 

"Of course," Angel said with a grimace that tried to disguise itself as a smile. "What *can* you tell me about this secure kingdom of yours?" 

"In Britain we weren't defeated by the Romans, we were defeated by the sun," Kelvasus said. 

"Great, how do plan to protect your kingdom from the sun?" Angel asked fighting to hide his dread behind skepticism. 

"The earth already possesses a suitable shield, all that remains is to properly position it." 

================================================================ 

Buffy had spent a quiet evening with her mathematics text. Giles decided that it would be best to cancel patrols for a night rather than risk her blowing Angel's cover prematurely by bumping into him that night. Which meant no Bronzing either. 

So Buffy had spent the evening at home, performing what was for her an unusual ritual, commonly know to students across the country as homework. 

Buffy had tried to pretend she was just a normal high school senior, spending a normal school night at home hitting the books with nothing more pressing on her mind than next week's math test. 

Which given another night or so of enforced quiet and a little of Willow's miracle tutoring, Buffy might reasonably hope for a grade that went beyond merely passing. 

Which was a good thing, since seeing her SAT scores Buffy's mother had been less enthused about Buffy's barely passing grades. Joyce had taken to giving her daughter speeches about living up to one's potential and leaving more of the slaying to Faith, who was AWOL at the moment. She'd left Giles a note about checking on some vampire activity in a neighboring town and that she'd be back in a week or so. 

Joyce knew about the slaying now, which, Buffy was learning, was an entirely different issue from accepting it. 

================================================================ 

The next morning Buffy prepared hurriedly for school, she wanted to stop by the mansion before hand to find out what Angel had learned, and to see that he was all right. 

Buffy quickly put on jeans and a blue sleeveless top then turned to her mirror to put up her hair. Staring at her reflection Buffy realized that it had been a long time since she had truly concerned herself with just what the in thing to wear was. 

She couldn't even blame being the Chosen One for this change. It was too recent, dating back only to Angel's return. It was tough to find the energy to care about having the look, when you'd found the one for you; your soul-mate, Buffy thought with a bitterly ironic smile. Then you learn that it's impossible to be with him despite the fact he's waiting for you just across town. 

When Buffy had believed Angel was lost forever she had grieved. Guilt over what had happened had driven her from her responsibilities as the Slayer and from Sunnydale itself for a time, but she had started to deal with that. 

Then Angel had returned, in an inexplicable miracle which Buffy was grateful for to the bottom of her soul. But she didn't know how to cope with it, Angel was back but neither Giles nor Xander could accept him, and try as she might Buffy couldn't seem to change her feelings toward him. 

Not loving him was as unthinkable to her as loving him was. Buffy would never do anything to risk his soul again but when they were together accidents, like the kiss Xander had witnessed, just seemed to happen. When she avoided Angel finding a reason to see him was all she could think about. 

Even this morning's visit, brief as it would have to be for her to get to school on time, left Buffy excited and vitalized in a way that very little else could. 

================================================================ 

"A sun shield for a whole kingdom?" Buffy asked. 

Angel nodded, "That was the most straight forward answer I received about his plans all night." He smiled slightly, "Now I understand how annoying cryptic messages can be." 

Buffy laughed softly moving closer to Angel, "When I first met you there were nights when all I wanted to do was shake a simple yes/no answer out of you... Then you'd smile and by the time I'd gotten back on track you'd have disappeared." 

Tentatively Angel put his arms around her and rested his cheek against the top of her head. Buffy sighed, resting contentedly in his embrace, "I've missed this," she whispered. 

Angel jerked back as if stung, "I'm sorry," he said. 

Buffy looked at him sadly. "I better go to school huh?" she said. 

Angel nodded, "I'll try to learn more about Kelvasus tonight." 

"Maybe we'll get lucky," Buffy said. "Giles might had the low down on this Kelvasus already." 

================================================================ 

Xander waited for Buffy and Willow on the front steps of Sunnydale high, instead he saw Cordelia walking toward him. As always Cordy's clothes were the height of fashion, this morning she wore black slacks and a low necked, wrap around, red, top. 

Xander waved to her hopefully. Since Willow and Oz had patched things up' he'd entertained hopes that his relationship with Cordy might also be mendable. 

Cordelia gave him a brief look generally reserved for slugs and certain kinds of spider, the big, hairy, ugly ones to be precise, then breezed past him without a word. 

She just needs more time, Xander reassured himself. She'll come around. 

About the same time as the next ice age, the more cynical, less self-deluded part of his mind added. 

A few minutes later Willow appeared. 

"Will, how goes the pooling of witchly knowledge?" Xander asked. 

"Michael agreed that it's a seeking spell. Probably a weakly directional one, not really anything I didn't know last night," Willow replied discouraged. "Did Angel know anything?" 

"Dead Boy said there was a new group of vamps in town and he was planning on sounding them out last night," Xander said grimacing. "Buffy's supposed to be getting an update after sunrise." 

"She probably went to talk with him before school," Willow surmised. Then paused cocking her head to one side, "Buffy hasn't seen Angel for a couple of weeks and sunrise was only fifteen minutes ago." 

The ringing of the five minute warning bell interrupted Willow. 

"Unless Angel's news was really urgent, which it probably wasn't if he didn't contact her last night," Willow continued. "I wouldn't bet on seeing Buffy till second period, at the earliest." 

"Come on Will, Buffy's not going to upset both her mother and Giles, not to mention getting in trouble with Snyder by missing school just to chat with Dead Boy." 

Willow just looked at Xander for a few moments. 

"All right," he sighed "Buffy even noticing she's late would be like Sylvester and Tweety getting together for a friendly cup of coffee." 

================================================================ 

Buffy sat in the cafeteria, delicately using her fork to dissect the unidentified lump on her tray. 

"The fearless Slayer ventures into danger once again, bravely facing down a horrendous foe who had been the terror of untold legions of hapless students throughout the years." Xander intoned sitting down across from her. 

"What is it?" Buffy asked with a final poke at the lump. 

"The menu called it lasagna," Xander said. "but don't believe everything you read, it's truly the end product of a fiendish plot to destroy all sense of good taste in the student body of Sunnydale High." 

"And that sets it apart from every other meal served here how?" Buffy replied. 

"Ah, therein lies the fiendishness of the plot," Xander responded. "It doesn't. Bon Appetite!" 

Willow and Oz approached the table already deep in conversation. 

"I can bring the hangers," Willow said as they sat down. 

In what Buffy considered a non sequitur Oz replied, "I think a welding mask would be better." 

Buffy looked to Xander, hoping she wasn't the only one mystified by this exchange. 

She needn't have worried, "Okay, hangers and welding masks, what do they have in common?" Xander asked. "And if this has anything to do with sex tell me more, 'cause it sounds kinda kinky." 

Oz glanced at Xander and grinned conspiratorially, "It's too public to go into the details here." 

Willow blushed. "It's for the eclipse," she blurted out. 

"Oh yeah," Buffy exclaimed as lightbulbs illuminated in her mind. "So you can look at one without hurting your eyes." 

"What eclipse? When?" Xander asked. 

"Man, you're missing in the current events category," Oz remarked. 

"It's been all over the news," Willow said. "Full solar eclipses are very rare and we're having one Saturday." 

"A full eclipse, Saturday," Buffy murmured thoughts linking up into ugly patterns. "A new vamp organization in town that wants to blot out the sun, coincidence? I think not." 

"We'd better tell Giles," Willow said. 

As the group trooped out of the cafeteria, abandoning mostly full trays to the dishwasher Xander commented, "A major victory for taste buds everywhere." 

================================================================ 

In the library Giles was making only moderate progress in following up the clues Buffy had passed on to him earlier that day. 

He was still uncertain as to what a vampire could do about the sun and the Watcher's Diaries contained only a brief mention of Kelvasus. 

Kelvasus had killed a very young Slayer named Nicolet in Russia seven hundred years ago. Nicolet hadn't been the Chosen One for even a month at the time of her death. Her watcher had died a few weeks later in a suicidal attempt to avenge Nicolet. 

The watcher's journal entries chronicling his doomed attempt gave very little useful information on Kelvasus, focusing instead on the author's guilt over having failed to properly prepare his Slayer for her destiny. 

Rupert could sympathize with the man's feelings but with his self-indulgent ramblings, he had failed in his duty yet again. 

"Giles! News flash," Buffy exclaimed bursting into the library with her typical exuberance. Willow, Xander and Oz flanked her. 

Giles looked up from his studies, automatically readjusting his glasses as he did so. 

"There's an eclipse Saturday," Willow added. 

"Could Kelvasus' plans involve that?" Buffy asked. 

"It provides another line of inquiry." Giles replied. "In fact I have a vague recollection of an artifact which was said to have the power to alter the courses of the planets. If that artifact does in fact exist it could very well be what he's seeking." 

"Good, now all we have to do is find the magical thingy before he does," Buffy said. 

"Yes, that would be advisable," Giles concurred. "Angel can continue monitoring Kelvasus' progress while we search for the artifact. I'll review my records on it, I believe it was called the Shadwen." 

"Whoa, unnecessary complication," Xander objected, "How about Angel leads us to the vampires then we stake them, end of problem." 

"Except Angel doesn't know where they are," Buffy said. "Or how many on them are around." 

"Furthermore, your solution only postpones the problem until the next time a Master vampire learns of the Shadwen's existence and decides to put it to use," Giles said. 

"Yeah, but it takes away the race element of this adventure," Xander argued. "With the competition out of the running we can look for the whatchamacallit without worrying about them getting to it first." 

"He's got a point," Oz said. 

"Our priority must be the artifact," Giles said. "Should we find Kelvasus or his followers while searching for the Shadwen, then we will certainly deal with them. However, vampires tend to be much more mobile than artifacts. Hopefully my research will offer some insight into the Shadwen's whereabouts." 

================================================================ 

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	3. chapter 3

**A Momentary Grace (part 3)**

Disclaimer: Characters and Premise are borrowed from the show "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer."

After Buffy and her friends returned to their classes Giles turned his attention fully to research. As a watcher researching the various monstrosities which Buffy encountered was one of his primary responsibilities. The Slayer needed to know what she was facing, its strengths, its weaknesses, its quirks in those creatures sentient enough to have them, and the habits of those that weren't. 

As always when Giles started a new investigation he turned first to his books. Musty tombs a large number of which he had personally indexed during the years he had spent preparing for his duties as the Watcher. 

While there may be only one Chosen in each generation there were always dozens of secondary Watcher. Each one prepared to step into the void should their predecessor fall. Furthermore, no Watcher was ever responsible for more than one Slayer. 

Giles' position of dual responsibility for both Faith and Buffy was unprecedented. Of course the concurrent existence of two Slayers was in itself, a very new situation. There was an ongoing debate in the Council as to whether or not another Slayer would be called upon Buffy's death. Giles found the whole subject to be profoundly disturbing, what happened would happen, and he saw little point in spending time dwelling on Buffy's death, when that time could be spent better preparing her for the dangers fate had ordained she should face. 

Still it wasn't a lack of candidates that left Giles with two Slayers, it was Faith's circumstances and personality. The death of her original Watcher had obviously had a deep affect on Faith and that whole debacle with Gendalyn Post had greatly amplified her native distrust of others. Forcing her to adapt to yet another Watcher had seemed inadvisable. 

Sometimes a Slayer was called before she could be adequately prepared as Buffy had been. Fortunately the dreams and in-born abilities of the Slayer could compensate for a lack of formal training. Becoming a Watcher on the other hand required years of preparatory work to acquire the appropriate background in arcane lore, research techniques, martial arts and weapons training. Training which, in a majority of cases, would never be put to use. 

Giles had received his assignment due mostly to his credentials, which had allowed him to be placed as the Sunnydale High School librarian. A position which offered him both a superb venue for interaction with the Slayer and ample time for his duties as Watcher. However, there were times when all his preparations seemed for not, and this was one of them. It wasn't that Giles couldn't find information on the Shadwen, quite the opposite. Once he started looking he found it everywhere, a brief reference in one book, an oblique comparison in another. Fragmentary pieces of knowledge scattered throughout his resources. What was worse was the contradictory nature of the information he was slowly amassing. 

Willow and Oz had both found time to assist him during the afternoon, relieving him of the burden of facing the Dread Machine and the hassles of the internet, both had found results and more results. Oz had paraphrased the situation by saying that the Shadwen "had more looks than the Founders from Deep Space Nine and more uses than the kitchen gadgets advertised on afternoon TV." 

Of course that assumed that at least some of what was reported about the Shadwen was more than ignorant rantings. 

Despite the difficulties Giles had pieced together some of the more reputable sources into a fairly coherent, if somewhat vague picture. First the Shadwen was ancient, quiet possibly it had existed during the ages when demons had ruled the Earth. Several sources claimed that it had been used to alter the orbit and axial tilt of the Earth in order to render the planet less hospitable to demons. Which lent credence to the hypothesis that it was the Shadwen which Kelvasus was after. As to its appearance Giles felt it was likely that the descriptions of it as a hollow spike or spire roughly a foot in length were the most accurate. 

Still he was missing the most vital pieces of information: how the artifact made it's way to Sunnydale, how it might be found and how to destroy it. 

And with the eclipse only twenty hours away those gaps were simply intolerable. With the failures of Giles sources they became more and more dependent on Angel's information or on cowboy tactics such as Xander had suggested. To Giles' mind either option simply entailed too much risk. 

================================================================ 

Angel walked Sunnydale's night darkened streets to yet another rendezvous with Kelvasus' people. If the other's suppositions were correct time was running short, and tonight was the time for risk taking. 

He smiled as he approached Cletus and Nev. "Let's go," Angel stated. 

As before he was blindfolded as soon as he entered the car and was prevented from removing it until he was sequestered with Kelvasus. 

"I've considered your offer," Angel said preemptively as the blindfold was removed. "And I've decided that I like the terms, provided your arrangements go as planned. I imagine that tomorrow's eclipse plays some part in your plan?" 

Angel waited until Kelvasus gave an approving nod, then continued, "For the week I offer you my services, and if we succeed I would be ready to negotiate a permanent place in your organization. This trial period offers us both an opportunity to evaluate the other and frees your attention for the matter at hand." 

Kelvasus smiled thinly, "You needn't concern yourself. Your recruitment is merely an amusement to me, certainly not a distraction form the establishment of my kingdom. Also your assistance is unneeded. However, the offer is appreciated. Please feel free to tour our operation, my only requirement is that you stay for the finale. You where quite perceptive when you tied my plans to Sunnydale's eclipse. During a full solar eclipse vampires may safely walk abroad during the day, but such are rare and short-lived phenomenon, it is even rarer that such an eclipse should occur over an area with an occult power source like the Hellmouth." 

"You intend to use the latent power of the Hellmouth to prevent the eclipse from ending," Angel said. 

"Excellent, excellent," Kelvasus remarked. 

"How?" Angel asked. 

"An object of considerable power cam into my possession several centuries ago, learning to use it properly took decades of study, then I had to wait for the appropriate conditions. Once upon a time powerful sorcerers could realign the stars using the Shadwen to focus their abilities, now to simply shift this planet's moon into a new orbit is impossible without the raw power of the Hellmouth to fuel it." 

Angel, lost in thought ignored Kelvasus' monologue, he had to get to Buffy, Kelvasus had the Shadwen, he hadn't been looking for it, he'd been looking for the Hellmouth. Buffy had to be told. 

"Even with the Hellmouth I can't actually shift the moon, instead I had to wait for this eclipse to occur," Kelvasus continued. "Tomorrow my patience will be rewarded, as all the necessary elements fall into place." 

Kelvasus gestured serenely to the door. "You wished to see more of my organization?" 

"Yes," Angel replied. 

As they left the barren room Cletus and Nev fell in along side them. 

Kelvasus' people had set up headquarters in Sunnydale's Automotive Salvage Yard. The room Angel had met with Kelvasus in was part of a dilapidated shack that had probably provided shelter for the yard's night watchman. Angel wondered distantly what had happened to the individual. 

By moonlight the yard was an other worldly place. Mountains of rusted out vehicles towered on all aides. Both moon light and street lights glittered off mirrors and patches of rust free chrome. By far, the most disturbing thing about the salvage yard were the shear numbers of vampires in residence. 

As Kelvasus led Angel through his compound, Angel estimated that at least fifty vampires were there. That made Kelvasus' coven the largest he had ever encountered. They were further set apart from other vampires in Angel's experience by their attitudes. Most covens were little more than a pack of squabbling animals held together by their collective fear of their so called leader. 

Kelvasus' people were more like an army; disciplined orderly and united in their sense of purpose. Kelvasus' selective recruiting techniques seemed to have been a successful tool. 

"I've noticed one difficulty with your plan," Angel commented. 

"Oh?" 

"Well, it's all good and well to blot out the sun, but setting up a kingdom? Maybe darkness was all you needed against the Romans back in the Bronze age, but against today's armies?" Angel questioned. 

Kelvasus laughed, "You overestimate humankind. With their faith in science they would never look to magic as the source of their dilemma. The moon's altered behavior will baffle them, but they won't link it to us." 

"Still the US government won't look kindly on the creation of an independent kingdom run by vampires within its boarders." 

"No," Kelvasus agreed. "But first they won't believe in vampires and second they won't do anything about it, look at Montana, if you don't believe me. Finally the moon's new orbit will throw the globe into chaos. The tides will change, people will panic, it's even possible that the movement of the earth's teutonic plates will be effected, creating massive earthquakes and new volcanic activity. The government will have much more to worry about than the emergence of a new separatist group in what will quickly become the most unpopulated segment of the country." 

Angel simply stared, he had never even considered the possibility that Kelvasus' plans might have secondary effects. Now it seemed more urgent than ever that he reach Buffy, but with Cletus and Nev standing guard the chances of his making a successful escape were slim. 

"We'll be relocating to the High School shortly before dawn," Kelvasus said. "There we will await the coming eclipse." 

Angel felt a surge of hope, surely he could manage to find a way to leave a message Buffy would find there. Even though tomorrow was the weekend Buffy, Giles and the others were certain to convene in the library so soon before the expected disaster. 

================================================================ 

Sunrise found Buffy at a pay phone several blocks from Angel's mansion. 

"He wasn't there," she said words tumbling over each other. "No message, no sign, nothing. Giles I know something's gone wrong." 

"It's going to be all right, " Giles assured her. "Last night I had Willow compile a list of possible sites for Kelvasus' day time shelters. With the help of your friends we should be able to investigate all of them before the eclipse." 

"Good," Buffy said. "Have everyone meet at my place, we'll break into team and decide who covers shat there." 

================================================================ 

Angel waited in the school's boiler room with over a dozen of Kelvasus' followers, including Nev and Cletus, his ever present guards. It had been a very close thing, slipping that note under the door of Giles' office while they'd examined the book cage and exclaimed over Giles' more exotic reading material. 

Angel smiled to himself, thinking of the surprise that Buffy and Giles would surely have waiting for Kelvasus. 

Possibly she'd already gotten his note and even now they were searching the school. Taking out the various groups of vampires hidden about it. Cordelia and Xander certainly knew about every dark private spot on campus. 

Angel had been worried when he'd seen the numbers Kelvasus had amassed, but if Buffy hurried, attacking before the eclipse, their numbers wouldn't matter. Each group could be wiped out separately while the sun held them prisoners in their respective hiding places. 

Meanwhile all he had to do was relax and wait for her to reach the boiler room. 

================================================================ 

"I want to help," Joyce Summers said, sitting down beside her daughter, as Buffy and her friends made their plans for dealing with this latest threat. 

Giles looked at her, clearly startled. 

"Mom no," Buffy said. 

"Don't tell me it's too dangerous and I'd only distract you," Joyce warned. "I can help, like Xander, Willow, Oz or Cordelia can help. Just tell me what needs to be done." 

"She's right," Giles said quietly. "Today, it's essential that we find Kelvasus' lair before the eclipse. One more pair of eyes might make the difference." 

Buffy nodded her agreement, but still looked uncomfortable. 

"Very well," Giles began. "Willow compiled a list of probable locations for the vampire's sanctuary." 

Willow passed out several computer print-outs, "I broke them down into places we've known vampires to live it, like the factory and the cemetery; other abandoned buildings around town and rental places that are somewhat isolated and have either been leased in the last month or so, or are empty," she said. 

"Excellent Willow," Giles remarked. "We need to break into teams to cover ground as quickly as possible. If a team finds any vampiric activity they are to contact Buffy, then wait for her assistance. Cordelia, did you remember to bring your cell phone?" 

Cordelia looked up from inspecting her nail polish, an obvious ploy for studiously ignoring Xander's presence. "Of course, I wouldn't do anything to increase the time I have to spend with these losers," she said, finally looking at Xander and Willow. 

"Why do you bother asking G-man?" Xander returned. "Cordy's never without it, it would be like Wolverine without his claws. She might miss some malicious gossip, or the chance to spread some herself." 

"Giles said it was an emergency or I wouldn't of come," Cordelia snapped. "Spending time with you makes my stomach turn." 

"Enough," Giles interceded. "Thank you for coming Cordelia. You'll be coordinating everyone's activities through the cellular phone. I want you and Buffy to comprise of one team. After checking each location the other teams will check in with you and give you their next location. If anyone fails to check in a reasonable time you and Buffy are to assume that they encountered difficulties and proceed to assist them. The two of you can check the sites of known vampiric activity as well." 

"I want someone in each group to have a vehicle so that time isn't wasted in travel. Oz, Willow you'll be the second team, please check the open rentals. Check for buildings with basements or boarded up windows." 

"Check," Oz replied. 

"Joyce, you and Xander will form the third team, take the new rentals. If anyone answers the door during the day it's most likely safe." 

Xander nodded. 

"I'll check the abandoned buildings myself. Everyone please be careful. If anything goes wrong get back outside immediately." 

"Let's roll," Buffy said. 

================================================================ 

"Okay, here's how we're going to do this," Xander said seriously. "I'm doing a survey for school on what people's favorite candy is. You wait in the car while I knock on the door. If they drag me in or anything, you call Buffy." 

Joyce looked very concerned, but didn't argue. She didn't like letting Xander take all the risks, but if anything went wrong the greatest assistance she could provide would be to get word to Buffy. 

"What if no one answers?" she asked. 

Xander grinned, "Then we get creative." 

================================================================= 

"Okay fang face," Buffy shouted. "Where's Kelvasus?" 

The vampire hissed threateningly at her from the darkest corner of the crypt. 

Cordelia sat on a headstone just outside the door, fussing with her wind mussed hair. 

Inside the crypt Buffy sighed and started into the shadows after the vamp, stake held at ready. 

As soon as she was away from the sun filled entrance the vampire attacked. Buffy blocked a punch aimed at her head and responded with a kick to the solar plexus. The vampire was slammed back against the wall of the crypt. 

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the coffin this morning," Buffy remarked. 

Snarling the vampire lunged at her again, this time Buffy grabbed his jacket, simultaneously dropping to her back and using their momentum to throw the vampire over her head, through the door and into the sunny cemetery. 

In seconds Buffy was up and after the vampire. Already the vamp was starting to smoke and desperate to get back into his nice safe crypt. But Buffy stood between him and the shadows, stake in hand. "Where's Kelvasus?" she demanded. 

"Let me in," the vampire screamed, his warped face rapidly blackening. 

"Kelvasus first," Buffy replied. 

"I know nothing of your Kelvasus," the vampire insisted. 

"Your problem," Buffy said. 

The vampire, body now aflame ran at her and tried to shoulder his way back into the crypt. Buffy kicked him again forcing him back into the sunlight. He tripped over a headstone and fell at Cordelia's feet. Before he could even rise the vampire exploded into a cloud of ash. 

"Ugh," Cordelia grimaced fanning at the ash drifting into her clothing and hair. 

"I don't think he was with Kelvasus," Buffy reported. 

"Every time I'm around you my clothes get absolutely ruined," Cordelia protested. "Vampire dust and all that other demon guck. is just so gross, I know it'll never wash out." 

"You'd be surprised," Buffy replied. "As long as they don't actually tear anything my stuff usually comes out okay." 

"You would think that," Cordy sniffed. 

================================================================ 

After the first couple houses Oz and Willow had their routine down pat. First check for the obvious signs Giles had mentioned, then checking for signs that the house had been broken into recently. If it had been, they would also break in, make a quick check of the closets, then call Cordy at the nearest pay phone. 

The current target was a one bedroom cottage on the outskirts of town. 

Peering through the windows Willow reported, "The front room's okay." 

"The shades are closed in the bed room," Oz said. "Plus one of the windows was broken out and then boarded up." 

Willow sighed, "This isn't the fun part. I like the helping and of course vampires blocking out the sun would be worse than a few broken windows. Still..." 

Oz hefted a palm sized rock. "It's breaking and entering, not something your typical, utterly beguiling, future valedictorian spends her Saturdays doing." 

"Ooh, beguiling, I like that," Willow said, then winced at the sound of shattering glass. A second later an alarm went off. Oz and Willow looked at one another. 

"Ought oh," Willow said. 

"Ought oh," Oz agreed. "We'd better hurry." 

Willow nodded, reached through the window and opened the door. She and Oz hurried through the front room. They paused at the door to the bedroom. Still standing in the sunny front room, Oz pushed open the door then leaned in and flipped the light switch. The room was empty and few seconds more and they'd checked the bathroom and closet as well. 

"Done," Willow exclaimed slamming the pantry door. She and Oz ran back to his van. They'd just turned the corner when a police siren sounded, approaching the house behind them. 

"Split second timing," Oz said. 

================================================================ 

Any minute now, Angel thought. Buffy would be here in just a few seconds. 

The eclipse would be full in less than an hour, where was she? Someone had to have gone to the library. They must have gotten his note. 

================================================================ 

"For all you eclipse watchers out there we're officially one fourth of the way to a full eclipse." Giles' radio blared. 

Giles parked on a side street behind the warehouse. This was the second to last location on his list and Cordelia had told him that the others were also rapidly approaching the ends of their lists, also without finding Kelvasus. 

Not only where they running short of places to check, they were running out of time. Once the eclipse was full Kelvasus would most likely make his move, if they hadn't found him by then... Giles shuttered at the thought. 

Giles prowled around the warehouse looking for both signs of occupation and a way in. The building had been boarded up for years, but Giles had noticed suspiciously new looking boards in several of the windows. 

Mindful of noise, Giles carefully prided the boards from one window. After taking out a small cross he climbed through the window into the dusty warehouse. Empty crates were piled at random around the huge building, turning it into a dimly lit maze full of mysterious creakings and deep concealing shadows. 

Holding the cross before him and wishing he'd thought to bring a torch, or a flashlight as Americans called it, Giles began exploring the maze. 

He peered cautiously into each shadow as he worked his way outward from the unboarded window. Allowing a vampire to remain undiscovered between himself and the only exit he knew was unlocked could be disastrous. 

Giles slowly worked his way deeper into the warehouse. Behind him the side of one of the crates shuttered. 

================================================================ 

Willow removed the welding mask. "Half-way to the full eclipse," she reported. 

"About fifteen minutes left," Oz estimated. "And one house to go." 

"Where?" Willow asked. 

"About five minutes away," Oz said, "Near the military base." 

================================================================ 

"No answer," Xander reported. "Not much time left either. I think I could get to an open window on the second story if I climb that tree over there." 

"No," Joyce said, "I have a better idea." 

Joyce walked over to the pay phone at the corner. "Hello, I need to speak with the police," she said, "This is Joyce Summers, I was driving past 1446 NW Crane Street, I saw someone climbing into a basement window. I knocked on the door to warn the residents, but no one answered." 

She paused, "Yes, thank you." Then hung up the phone. To Xander she said, "The police are coming out to check the house. It's about time the adults of this town gave Buffy a little help." 

"Mrs. Summers, that was truly devious," Xander said. "I'm impressed, I didn't think adults had it in them." 

"Why Xander, thank you," Joyce replied. 

================================================================ 

The vampires in the school's boiler room were moving about restlessly. The eclipse would be full in just a few minutes, but it wouldn't last long. 

Angel could sense the approaching darkness, it was effecting him much more strongly than nightfall ever could. Full eclipses were a powerful event for creatures of darkness. Angel could feel its pull on the demonic entity within him. 

Where was Buffy he wondered. Could she have set a trap in the school... Either that or she'd never gotten the message. 

================================================================ 

"Well at least we don't have to break into this one," Oz said, looking at the shattered sliding door. 

"No alarms," Willow added, "A definite plus." 

Oz pulled a stake out of his jacket pocket. "This might be an inhabited one," he said. 

Willow nodded retrieving a cross and a squirt gun filled with holy water from Oz's van. "I bet a Star of David would work as well as a cross," she commented. 

Oz grinned, "Yeah, but would it make as good of a stake in a pinch?" 

Willow returned his smile, "Also finding out might be a little too exciting. I like proven methods of vampire protection." 

"Ready?" Oz asked, walking to one side of the broken door. 

"Ready," Willow replied taking a position on the other side of the opening. 

They stepped into the shadows of the house. Willow stayed slightly behind Oz, covering him with the squirt gun. 

"Closet," Oz commented, Willow shifted to the side so she'd be able to see into the closet. 

Oz gripped the door handle, glanced back at Willow, then abruptly pulled the door open. "Empty," Oz said. 

"Next closet," Willow said. 

They worked their way through the pantry, bathroom and the broom closet in short order. 

Willow opened the door to the bedroom, "Um, Oz," she said. "This is a bad sign." 

"What?" Oz asked joining her. Willow pointed to the scorched patch on the bedroom floor. "Oh. Okay... So what now, should we call Buffy?" 

"Yes... No. Buffy's got to find Kelvasus quick, and he's organized. He wouldn't break into some apartment after sunrise then have to roll around on the floor to smother the flames," Willow stammered. 

"So this is just your run of the mill vamp?" Oz asked. 

"I think," Willow replied. 

================================================================ 

Xander and Joyce watched from the car as the police searched the house. 

As the last trace of the sun slid behind the moon a police officer approached the car. 

"Well ma'am we didn't find anyone, it's possible the prowler got spooked when you approached the house." The officer said. "Still, I'd like you to come down to the station so we can get a description of the suspect." 

"Oh, um... I didn't really get a good look," Joyce said. 

"Yeah," Xander seconded, "Just a guy in jeans crawling around in the bushes." 

"That's right," Joyce added, "We didn't see his face, or ever his head." She laughed nervously, "Just a person where they shouldn't have been." 

"All right," the officer sighed. "Thank you for your help. I'll have the officers on patrol keep an especially careful eye on the area, unfortunately there's not much else we can do in these situations." 

"Of course," Joyce replied. "Thank you for your trouble." She started the car as the officer stepped back. 

"Wow, we didn't even get in trouble," Xander exclaimed a block later. "You are something else Mrs. S." 

"I only asked them to do their job," Joyce replied. "They wouldn't have believed me if I asked them to check for vampires, but they're happy to look for a prowler." 

"They might believe you but would they do anything?" Xander asked. "There's a phone, you make the call." 

"Cordelia's still *that* angry with you?" Joyce asked. 

"The only way she'd even glance my way would be if looks could kill," Xander confided. 

"Well, quite frankly, I can see why she's upset Xander. What I can't understand is how the two of you got together in the first place. You have so little in common." 

"It's a short story, but it doesn't explain much, so why don't we just call in and not talk about it," Xander suggested. 

Joyce smiled, then walked over to the pay phone and dialed Cordelia's cell phone for the two dozenth time that morning. 

"Cordy, 1446 NW Crane Street was okay. We're checking the house on Warton Drive next. How are the others doing." 

"No one's found anything and the eclipse is full. But Giles is overdue, he was checking the old Camber and Son's warehouse down by the docks. Buffy and I are going to check on him now." 

In the background Joyce heard Buffy wail, "Cordy! the road!" 

"Bye," Joyce said quickly, not wanting to further distract Cordelia while she was driving. 

================================================================ 

A number of vampires circled cautiously around Giles. 

"I recognize you," A large, heavily tattooed vampire said. "You're the Watcher." 

Giles withdrew a stake from his jacket, warding the vampires off with his cross. "Exactly, I taught the Slayer everything she knows." 

A female vampire with shockingly red hair laughed, "That may be true, but you are not the Slayer." 

"True," a slender boy with dark curly hair hanging over his glowing yellow eyes. "You're only the Watcher, only a human, despite you knowledge." 

"No Slayer to hide behind," the first vampire stated, "You're all alone, Watcher." 

"All alone," the red head repeated. 

"Folly," The first vampire said, "To invade our resting place alone." 

Giles slowly backed up until his back touched one of the crates, "The Slayer knows where I am," he warned. "She'll be here soon." 

"We should kill you quickly then," the boy said. 

================================================================ 

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	4. chapter 4

**A Momentary Grace (part 4)**

Disclaimer: Characters and Premise are borrowed from the show "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer."

Buffy hadn't gotten the note. Kelvasus and his followers were preparing to turn Sunnydale into the most ironically named spot on the globe and Angel realized he was the only one in a position to stop them. 

Angel was alone, against more than fifty dedicated and organized vampires. He had the advantage of surprise and a certain freedom of movement but as soon as he acted they'd know. He couldn't fight them all. 

Still he had to do something, for Buffy. 

================================================================ 

"Oz! Vampire!" Willow shrieked. 

Oz spun on his heel, slamming his stake into the vampire's chest. The vampire lifted him off the floor by his shirtfront. 

"Shouldn't you be doing the dust bit about now?" Oz asked. 

The vampire grinned, "No heart, no dust." 

"Leave him alone!" Willow yelled spraying the vampire with holy water. 

The vampire screamed, effortlessly tossing Oz across the room, then ran out. 

"Okay," Oz said, climbing shakily to his feet. "What went wrong there?" 

Willow thought about it for a few seconds, then went to the bedroom doorway and mimicked Oz's spinning around and driving the stake home. "Oh," she said, "You got the right side, I mean the wrong side, of the chest that is." 

"The heart's on the left side?" Oz asked. Willow nodded, her reddish hair swinging into her face. Oz smiled brushing it back. 

"I'll make a not of that," Oz said. "For future reference." 

================================================================ 

Angel slowly worked his way to the front of the crowd. 

Sunnydale High's courtyard had been transformed; mystic symbols had been drawn on the pavement, vampires, their pale skin almost luminescent under the unnatural light of an eclipsed sun, gathered around the edges. At the center of it all stood Kelvasus. His business suit was completely out of place in this setting, but he wasn't. There he stood calm, regal and confident. 

Before him on an alter sat the Shadwen, it rose from a rounded base to a narrow pointed spire. It was a pearly, shimmering, opalescent color. 

Angel had considered killing Kelvasus, trying to anyway, but that wouldn't guarantee anything. One of his followers might have been able to take his place. The key was the Shadwen, without it they wouldn't be about to do anything. 

He had to take or destroy the Shadwen, somehow. 

================================================================ 

"Well here we are, and no sign of Giles," Cordelia announced. 

"I'll go in. Cordy you stay here. Have the others join us as they finish their lists," Buffy said. 

"That's an excellent plan," Cordelia agreed. "You do your Chosen One thing, I'll get the calvary." 

In a short time Buffy found the window Giles had used to get in and headed in herself. 

She could hear sounds of fighting in the distance, hurriedly Buffy moved in that direction. Almost immediately she was confronted by a pair of vampires. 

"Why am I not surprised to see you?" Buffy asked raising her stake into fighting position. 

Together the vampires moved toward her. Buffy met the one on the left with a spinning kick to the chest, sending the vampire staggering back as she turned to deal with the other one. 

The second vampire was a blond girl who'd been about Buffy's age when she died. She smiled exposing sharp fangs, then lunged forward trying to knock Buffy off her feet. Buffy side stepped her lung, then staked her through the back. 

As Buffy moved to attack the first vampire, a third dropped from the crates onto her back. Buffy rolled, tossing the vampire on to the floor then staking him. As the late comer exploded into dust Buffy twisted to Stake the first vamp, who had tried to sneak up on her while she dealt with his companions. 

"You'd think they'd try something new once and a while," Buffy muttered hurrying toward the sounds of commotion. 

================================================================ 

The Shadwen was glowing softly, Kelvasus chanted over it, occasionally tossing herbs or liquids onto the coals which had been carefully arranged around it. 

The smoke rising from the coals filled the air with a sickeningly sweet odor. 

Angel was as close to the Shadwen as he could get without drawing attention to himself. He shrugged slightly. There was nothing left to be done in preparation, no time left for delays and no other options left. 

Angel dashed up the steps, slamming into Kelvasus and the alter as he grabbed the Shadwen sending the coals flying into the crowd. 

Trying to capitalize on the chaos he'd generated Angel started running, forcing his way through the stunned crowd, the Shadwen cradled against his chest. In his arms the Shadwen was still glowing, burning him. Angel only tightened his grip. 

Behind him Kelvasus roared, "Stop him." 

The crowd responded, suddenly Angel was tearing at a sea of restraining hands. Angel's face shifted as he fought revealing the demon within. 

There were too many of them. All over him. Angel couldn't focus on an opponent, instead he twisted and struck out at random. 

Someone kicked the side of his knee. Angel screamed as the joint collapsed . As he fell Angel's hold on the Shadwen loosened. When he hit the ground it was underneath him, the spire slashed into his chest, through his heart. He felt a wave of fire rippling out from the Shadwen. Angel's body curled around the pain. The burning was so intense, Angel never felt the blows the mob rained on him. 

"Back off," Cletus ordered. Slowly the crowd pulled back. Angel remained on the ground shuttering uncontrollably. 

Nev grabbed Angel by the shoulder and jerked him onto his back. As Nev pulled the spire from Angel's chest it's glow died. 

================================================================ 

"Giles found it or something," Cordelia reported, "Buffy's in the warehouse now." 

"We'll be there in a few minutes," Joyce replied, hanging up the phone. 

================================================================ 

"What is this, a vampire flop house?" Buffy asked dispatching yet another vamp. 

"A most succinct description," Giles replied, holding off several other with a bottle of holy water. 

Buffy had fought her way to his side just in time. Giles had managed to destroy the largest of the vampire threatening him, but in doing so he'd given the read head and the boy an opening. Buffy had arrived to see the vampire girl preparing to sink fangs into her Watcher's throat. Fortunately the vampires were so intent on Giles they failed to notice Buffy. She staked them both before they had time to correct their oversight. 

Then the Slayer and Watcher had continued into the depths of the warehouse. Buffy found the maze like arrangement of the crates and the vampires popping up at random intervals disturbingly reminiscent of a video game Xander had talked her into playing a few weeks ago, Area 54, or something like that. 

"Shouldn't these guys be in a hurry to get to their ceremony thing?" Buffy asked during a lull in the vamp deluge. 

"If these vampire are Kelvasus', yes," Giles replied. 

Buffy stared at him, "These guys are the wrong bad guys?" she asked. 

Giles looked tired, "The eclipse is in effect and this group seems totally unfocused. They have no agenda, no plan for this event." 

"What!?!" Buffy exclaimed. "Well lets pull back. Cordy's supposed to be regrouping the others outside. I think it's time for a new plan." 

Giles sighed, "Buffy I don't know what to do now. The eclipse is underway and we know next to nothing about the Shadwen or Kelvasus. We seem to have run out of time." 

"No," Buffy said firmly, "Even if we can't stop him, we'll find a way to undo his eclipse." She smiled, "We can't give up, we're the good guys." 

Giles returned her smile, "Of course, how could I forget." 

================================================================ 

Xander, Oz, Willow, Cordelia and Joyce crept into the warehouse. 

Joyce nervously held a cross before her. she was the only adult in the group, but she was also the only one who hadn't been involved in this sort of situation before 

Xander lead the group, stake in hand. Willow and Oz flanked him each carrying a water gun filled with holy water. Joyce brought up the rear with Cordelia, who also carried a cross as well as a duffel bag holding the rest of their slaying supplies. 

Xander, Willow and Oz all looked determined. Cordelia looked annoyed. 

"Where to now?" Cordy asked. 

A pile of crates at the end of one of the aisles toppled as a vampire crashed into it. 

"That way looks good," Xander replied running toward the vampire. 

Before the vampire could extricate itself from the crates Xander destroyed it, then stood to see Buffy and Giles finishing off another vampire of their own. 

"Where's the ritual?" Xander asked. 

================================================================= 

The bizarre half-light reflected off the vampires' pale skin, making their hands and faces seem to glow. Several had reverted to their more demonic forms. 

The crowd parted making room for the small group half dragging the injured, dark haired vampire back to the alter and Kelvasus. 

"The Shadwen is undamaged," Nev said presenting it to his lord. 

"The spell components have been wasted," Kelvasus said quietly as he accepted the blood stained spire his solider offered him on bent knee. 

At his words Angel raised his head, revealing glowing yellow eyes set in a leathery skinned visage as horrific as that of any of his captors. His smile radiated a calm satisfaction that was at odds with his demonic appearance. 

The vampire lord glanced down at this most unexpected enemy. "Why?" he asked, "You may not have wanted to follow me, but what vampire would not desire an end to the sun's tyranny?" 

"For the humans," Angel said. "Vampires are a curse upon the Earth. I'd see them all destroyed if I could." 

"Don't think you've won," Kelvasus replied. "I have worked for this nearly two thousand years. Your interference buys only a few more years, and I can afford to wait." 

Another wave of pain crashed through Angel's body, leaving him hanging limply between the vampire restraining him. 

"Angelus," the vampire lord said, waiting patiently until his prisoner recovered himself enough to raise his head again. "You could have joined with us," he continued. "Instead you chose a deranged alliance with humans, against your own kind. And now you have failed and will die, for nothing." 

The vampire stepped forward and viscously backhanded his captive, sending the younger vampire reeling into unconsciousness. 

"Leave him for the sun," Kelvasus commanded. 

================================================================ 

"I believe we should return to the library," Giles said as they left the warehouse. 

"Time for some heavy duty research," Buffy sighed. 

"Perhaps Angel will be able to get away from Kelvasus' people, now that the eclipse has occurred," Giles commented. "With any luck he'll be able to provide a detailed description of the spell Kelvasus used. Information which could prove invaluable in reversing it." 

"As long as he remembers which side he's on." Xander muttered. 

Willow glared at him, saying, "We should go." 

"Yes, quite," Giles added. 

After getting into Oz's van, Willow put on the welding mask again. 

"That's odd," she said. 

"What?" Oz asked. 

"A little of the sun's showing, it's like the eclipse is ending normally," Willow replied. 

"You're sure?" Oz asked. "I thought we failed. We didn't stop Kelvasus, we didn't even find him." 

Willow shrugged. 

By the time they arrived at the school there was no doubt about what Willow had seen, the sun was more than half visible. 

As they climbed out of the cars, Buffy was torn between elation and concern, "Angel must have done something to stop them," she announced. 

"Or they didn't have any more luck finding the Shadwen than we did," Xander offered. 

"Either is a possibility," Giles said. "We need to learn what happened. Someone should check if Angel has returned to the mansion yet." 

"He might have gone to my place," Buffy said. "Angel knows I'd be looking for him." 

"I'll check at home," Joyce offered. 

Giles unlocked the school's front door. "While we look for Angel, why don't the rest of you continue our research on the Shadwen and Kelvasus." 

================================================================ 

By the time everyone had regrouped in the library the sun was shining, completely unobscured in the clear, bright, blue, Southern California sky. 

"No Angel?" Willow asked, analyzing the grim looks on her friends' faces. 

"No," Buffy replied as Giles unlocked the door to his office. 

"Angel can take care of himself," Willow offered. "I'm sure he'll be all right." 

"Buffy," Giles' voice was tense. Everyone looked up to see him standing in the door of his office holding a sheet of paper. "They were here," he said. "It's from Angel, they were here all the time and they had the Shadwen." 

"Maybe they're still here," Xander said. 

Quickly the group split up to search the school. 

Passing a window over looking the school courtyard Buffy froze. A figure in dark clothing lay face down in the sunlit area by the fountain. 

"It can't be," she whispered, running into the yard. "No, Angel!" 

Buffy knelt by Angel's side, gently she turned him over, the concrete where he had lain glistened with blood in the brilliant sun. Tentatively Buffy touched his face, whispering his name over and over again. Angel's face was covered with bruises and blood. His eyes remained closed despite Buffy's pleading. 

"Giles!" she screamed, gathering Angel into her arms. 

A few moments later Buffy's friends reached the courtyard. 

"Dear lord," Giles exclaimed. "Quickly get him out of the sun." He rushed to help Buffy move Angel into the school. 

"Wait," Joyce warned. "He might have neck injuries." 

"Joyce," Giles replied, lifting Angel with Buffy's help. "Angel is a vampire, the sun is a much greater danger to him than the possibility of spinal cord injuries." 

"Why hasn't he burned already?" Cordelia asked. Noticing the look Buffy was giving her, she continued. "What? Is it a crime to ask the obvious question? Don't vampires normally burn right away when they get in the sun?" 

Carefully Giles and Buffy set Angel don in the shadow of the building. "She's right," Giles said softly. "He shouldn't have survived that exposure." 

Buffy knelt on the ground, gently cradling Angel's head in her lap, tears running down her face. "How can we help him?" she begged. 

Joyce turned Angel's hand over pressing her fingers to his wrist. 

"Angel doesn't have a heartbeat," Xander said. "Not even when he's not hurt." 

"He'll be okay," Willow said kneeling beside Buffy. "Remember the organ loft falling on Spike? He healed from that." 

"I'm getting a pulse," Joyce said, looking up. "It's unsteady but definitely there, he's also breathing." 

"That isn't possible," Giles said, taking Angel's other hand. 

Joyce cautiously opened Angel's eyes checking the pupils. "Call 911," she said. "I think he has a concussion." 

Everyone simply stared at her, then Giles snapped, "Do it." 

Cordelia whipped out her cell phone and dialed, as she spoke with the operator the other looked expectantly toward Giles. 

"This isn't possible," Giles said. "But Angel survived direct sunlight, he has a pulse, it breathing and his skin is warm to the touch. I don't understand what could have happened, but he's not a vampire, and he's badly injured." 

================================================================ 

A confused and concerned group gathered in the Sunnydale hospital's emergency room. Giles had taken the lead in dealing with the official's questions, claiming that Angel was his nephew on a visit from England and that he'd planned to meet Angel at the school, but had no idea how he'd come to be injured. 

Once the question had been dealt with there was nothing for anyone to do but worry, they couldn't even discuss what had happened in the busy emergency room. 

Finally the doctor cam out. "Your nephew has a concussion and several broken ribs, in addition to a number of bruises and cuts, some of which required stitches." 

"He's going to be all right though?" Buffy asked. 

"Most likely," the doctor replied. "However we can't be sure until he regains consciousness." 

"Can we see him?" Buffy asked. 

The doctor nodded, "But only one at a time, and only family." 

Giles glanced at Buffy, "Doctor, Angel is far from home. Buffy and the others are very close to him, let them see him." 

The doctor looked at Buffy's tear streaked face then back at the door to the emergency room. "Go ahead," he said with a sigh. 

Buffy followed the doctor back into the emergency room. She pulled up a chair and sat down beside Angel's bed. 

"Angel," Buffy said, taking his hand. "Please wake up. You're alive now, really alive, you have to be okay. Angel, I love you. Please be all right, please." 

================================================================ 

In the waiting room Joyce and the Slayerettes sat quietly exchanging looks, wishing that they could speak openly to one another. They were too distracted to discuss everyday topics. 

Giles had gone in to check on Angel and Buffy again. It had been two hours since the doctor had spoken with them. Angel hadn't regained consciousness yet. The doctor had informed Giles that the longer he remained unconscious the greater the likelihood of serious brain damage became. 

Giles was afraid that some of Angel's symptoms came from the immense shock of changing from a vampire to a human. How were the doctors to deal with his medical condition when they didn't even believe in the species he'd belonged to for the vast majority of his life. Even Giles, who was as much of an expert on vampires as could be found in the country, had no idea of how this had happened or what the side effects might be. 

Finally Willow, Xander and Oz gave up their attempts to talk about normal subjects, they moved their chairs close together, trying to keep their conversation discrete. 

"Angel, alive," Willow whispered. "It's wonderful really. Wonderful, except for him being hurt of course. Still he'll get better then he and Buffy can be like a normal couple." 

"Buffy hasn't been the same since that whole soul thing last year," Xander admitted. "His being back didn't really fix things, maybe this will." 

Oz nodded, he was the latest addition to what Xander called the Scobby Doo Gang. The first time he'd really helped out had been just after Angel had switched sides, so he didn't know what Buffy had been like before, and Oz hardly knew Angel at all. Still, he had an idea of the pressure Buffy had been under. Also that Buffy and Angel were in love was apparent, even to Cordelia, the restrictions and dangers inherent in their relationship had to be tearing them apart. 

Oz wondered what it was like for Angel, living with the shadow of his past and the possibility of becoming Angelus again hanging over the future. Oz's own deepest fear was that he might kill someone while in his wolf-phase. As Angelus, Angel had committed any number of murders and murder was only one of a list of atrocities which could be lain at the vampire's feet. 

Also no matter what else, Oz knew that when the night ended he'd be himself again, the wolf safely locked away until the next full moon. Angel didn't have that, if his demon gained control there was no guarantee that Angel would ever be back. Finally Angel's life could never be normal. Even when he was Angel, Angel was still a vampire, with all the restrictions and needs which that entailed. Oz could safely ignore that he was a werewolf for all but three nights a month. 

Oz knew what he would have given not to be a werewolf, he could only imagine how much more Angel must want a cure for vampirism. Oz only hoped that Angel's cure hadn't cost him his life. 

================================================================= 

Angel was confused, he wasn't truly aware yet, just drifting slightly below consciousness, but he felt something was terribly wrong... no right, with him. 

For a long time Angel's partially awakened mind was completely overwhelmed by a pulsing sensation throughout his body. He was fascinated by it and frightened as well. It was strange and confusing, but somehow vaguely familiar at the same time. 

Later, after his mind came to terms with the differences within his own body, Angel's awareness began to expand. His senses slowly began to function again. There was a sensation of warmth on his face and arm, pressure on his hand and a soft murmuring in the background. It was all unexpected, but reassuring. 

Voices, words, Buffy... It was Buffy speaking, holding his hand. Angel couldn't understand what was being said, couldn't begin to explain the warmth on his skin, but it didn't matter. Buffy was there, with him. Somehow that made everything all right. 

Relaxing, Angel slid into a true sleep. 

================================================================ 

Angel blinked then opened his eyes. It was bright, blindingly so. He found himself starring out an open window directly into the setting sun. 

Angel jerked upright in the bed, panicked, fighting to free himself from monitors, tubing, wires and the bed sheets. 

Suddenly someone was holding him still and Buffy was saying, "Angel, it's okay. Don't fight me Angel." 

What was wrong with her? It was the sun, he would die. Instincts developed over the course of two centuries drove him to escape, but Buffy's arms were like steel bands, holding him there in the deadly light of the sun. 

Angel felt as if his chest were about to explode, his lungs constricted in terror and his heart pounded painfully against his ribs. 

Then the blinds came down, heavy metal blinds blocking out the fearful sight of the sun. Angel eased back on the bed, surprised that he didn't feel any burns. Buffy still held him and Giles stood at the window, Angel realized he'd been the one to shut the blinds. 

Then the room was filling with strange people. They were fussing with the things Angel had disarrayed in his panic, scolding him for moving, checking his various injuries. 

"It's okay," Buffy whispered in his ear, "I'll explain later." 

A hospital? Angel thought, what am I doing here? 

One of the doctors placed a stethoscope on Angel's chest, Angel waited for his expression to change, to fill with confusion then fear, but he only nodded. 

Then Angel understood the throbbing in his chest, his heart was beating. Dazed Angel allowed the doctor to finish with him. 

When the room was finally quiet again Buffy took Angel's hand once more, smiling broadly at him. "You're human," she said. "Not a vampire, not anymore." 

"I'm dead," Angel said dully. "Nothing can change that." 

"Angel, we found you at the school, in the sun. Unconscious, but alive," Giles said. "I don't know how, I would never had thought it possible, but Angel, you are alive." 

"Even the doctors think so," Buffy added. 

"The Shadwen," Angel said softly remembering the events of the eclipse. 

Giles looked startled, the shock of finding Angel had completely distracted him from the current crisis, an inexcusable lapse. 

"What happened?" Buffy asked. 

"I screwed up the spell," Angel replied. "But Kelvasus still has the Shadwen, he'll try it again." 

"Did you learn where their lair is?" Giles asked. 

"It's the salvage yard," Angel said. "I met Kelvasus in the guard shack." 

================================================================= 

There were still fifteen minutes left before the sun disappeared over the horizon, Buffy thought. Time for them to go in and get the Shad-thing and get out before Kelvasus could get his whole organization moving against them. 

This time it was just her, Giles, Willow, Xander and Oz. Angel couldn't leave the hospital yet, and Buffy had persuaded her mother to stay with him. Cordelia had left hours before Angel woke-up. Cordy had said she was trying to cut down on her exposure to losers, since it seemed contagious and that she had better things to do than hang out in hospitals waiting to find out if a murder was going to be all right. 

So here they were the original Slayerettes plus Oz hurrying through the salvage yard, hoping Kelvasus hadn't chosen another resting spot for the day. 

"Stay out of the shadows," Giles had advised. In a junk yard that wasn't easy. Still they knew Kelvasus had more follower than would fit in the guard shack. That was the whole point of getting out before night fall, keeping the numbers of vamps they fought at any one time down to the minimum. 

The Chosen One protected the world from the forces of darkness, but Buffy's first rule of Slaying was don't get killed. Taking on fifty odd vampires would definitely be breaking that rule and would probably leave Kelvasus with the Shadwen and plenty of time to get the hell out of Dodge before Faith or whoever the next Slayer was figured out what had happened. Not a good plan. 

There was the guard house. Tiny, maybe two rooms total, in enough of a clearing that reinforcements wouldn't be coming till sundown. 

"Is everyone ready?" Buffy asked, they nodded. Buffy turned and kicked the door down. 

"I know it's early," Buffy said, attacking one of Kelvasus' four body guards, "But I want to beat the crowds." 

The fight lasted only seconds, then they were moving on to the inner room. Kelvasus was waiting for them, the Shadwen sat on the bed behind him. He stood in the center of the room, calmly aiming a gun at the door. 

Buffy and the Slayerettes quickly scattered to either side of the door as Kelvasus triggered his first shot. 

"You've got a problem with aim don't you?" Buffy taunted. 

Kelvasus shrugged, "Given your reputation, I was expecting someone larger. Somehow one always forgets appearances are irrelevant with Slayers. But if you truly believe that I am incompetent with firearms, just step through the door and permit me to disabuse you of your illusions." 

"Aren't you just Mr. Eloquence," Buffy shot back. 

Kelvasus smiled, "It doesn't really matter to me, whether I shoot you or my followers tear you and your friends limb from limb come sunset. So please feel free to make up you own mind as to which you prefer." 

"Oh wow," Buffy exclaimed, "It's like one of those multiple choice tests. You know, fill in the bubble. But you forgot C." 

"See what?" Kelvasus asked, as Buffy on her knees leaned around the corner and threw a vial of holy water at him. 

The vial shattered as it hit Kelvasus' forehead. He dropped the gun to claw at his eyes and Buffy ran into the room and staked him saying, "Option C: none of the above." 

"Is this the Shadwen thingy?" Buffy asked picking it up from the bed then turning to display it to Giles. 

"Yes, I believe so," Giles replied. 

================================================================= 

Cletus and Nev stood in the wreckage of the guard shack, dust spun in small vortexes around their feet. 

"Angelus must have lived, " Cletus said. "He was the only one who knew where we were." 

"Angel didn't turn Kelvasus and the others into dust-bunnies," Nev argued. "This was a sunlander's work, the Slayer most probably." 

"It's not a coincidence, us getting attacked the day after Angelus finds out where or sanctuary is," Cletus stated. 

"I never said it was," Nev replied. "Angel didn't just attack Kelvasus, he betrayed us to a sunlander." 

Cletus smiled nastily, "Treason has always been punishable by death, but then what isn't." 

================================================================= 

Angel leaned heavily on Buffy's shoulder, "You shouldn't be out of bed," she objected. 

Angel smiled, "The room's on the wrong side of the building for watching the sun rise. I want to see it, I haven't watched a sunrise since I was a kid." 

Curious, Buffy asked, "Was this something you liked doing before you were a vampire?" 

"Not really," Angel replied. "Not after I discovered alcohol, hangovers don't go well with early mornings. I took everything for granted back then. I don't want to make that mistake again." 

"There's the elevator," Buffy said. "We should hurry, the nurses are going to notice you're missing soon." 

They rode the elevator up to the top floor, them climbed one more set of stairs to reach the roof. 

"Now sit," Buffy ordered. "We're here, so I don't want you hurting yourself." 

Angel almost laughed. At the mixture of bossiness and protectiveness in her tone. As he sat down, he pulled her down beside him, wrapping his arms around her and resting his cheek on the top of her head. 

This close Buffy could feel both his heartbeat and the warmth radiating off his skin, she sighed contentedly and snuggled deeper into his embrace. 

Together they waited for the sunrise. As the first rays of the morning reached them Angel tensed, fighting a vampire's survival instincts. 

Buffy twisted in his embrace to face him. "It won't hurt you," she promised, reaching up to caress Angel's face. 

"I know," Angel replied swallowing harshly. "But every instinct I have is telling me this is suicide." 

"Don't think about it," Buffy said. 

Angel pulled her close again, burying his face in her shoulder, shutting out the sight of the sun, waiting for the searing agony that it had brought for so long. Instead he felt a gentle comforting warmth. 

Gradually Angel relaxed, raising his head and looking at the colors dawn had painted across the sky. "It's beautiful," he said. 

Buffy grinned 

"This is real," Angel continued. "I can't believe it, I'm watching a sunrise, with you." He hugged Buffy tightly again. "I never though I'd see you by daylight." 

================================================================ 

"Yes, the Shadwen is real," Giles said into the phone. "Buffy recovered it from a Celtic vampire called Kelvasus, he as attempting to use it to alter the moon's orbit." 

"I'm not sure, however it seems to have been responsible for changing Angel back into a mortal." 

"Yes, Angelus." 

"No, I don't know how. It was an accident. What I want to know is how to destroy it, we've tried the living flame. It didn't even mar the finish." 

"Yes, I had heard the legend about the Shadwen being used to help create the Slayer. I still think it should be destroyed." 

"Look do you really ant an artifact that can be used to play marbles with the solar system laying around the headquarters? It would be like a magnet for every power hungry moron in the hemisphere." 

"No, I don't believe you would be able to learn to use it. Kelvasus had centuries to study it and, according to Angel, he only had a marginal understanding of it." 

"No, I'm not comparing the watcher's experts to a vampire." 

"Yes, I understand my position, I'm Buffy's watcher. You may have people more expert in occult artifacts, but I am the one on site." 

"Yes, of course." 

"No, I'm not." 

"Fine, when ill he be here?" 

"Certainly, I'll meet him at the airport. Please let me know when his plane will be arriving." 

================================================================= 

Nev looked around the Bronze. Cletus as at the bar trying to find out if Angel had been in tonight. 

There weren't many places were humans congregated after dark in Sunnydale, it was only a matter of time before they found Angel's hunting ground. 

================================================================ 

Monday morning, Buffy, Willow and Xander gathered on the steps of the school. 

Willow and Buffy were deep in conversation. Xander was supposedly reading a magazine, but hadn't turned a page in quite a while. 

"He actually watched the sunrise this morning," Buffy was saying. "I think he's getting used to the whole mortal thing." 

"It's a big change," Willow said. 

Buffy nodded, "It's going to be so great, showing him all the daylight things to do." 

"When does he get out of the hospital?" Willow asked. 

"Tomorrow," Buffy replied. "Oh and everyone's invited to a dinner at my place, sort of a welcome to being alive thing for Angel. Mom says I can skip school to come along when Giles picks him up from the hospital, as long as I make my classes today." 

Xander glanced up from his magazine, "Since when has the lack of parental permission ever kept you in school?" he asked. 

Buffy shrugged, "It's just nice that she understands. Angel wants to spend Wednesday here, can you believe it?" 

"Why?" Xander asked. "He's too old for them to make him go to school." 

At Xander's words Willow's face took on a thoughtful frown. 

Buffy replied, "He wants to see what it's like, something about seeing what I do." 

"How old is Angel now?" Willow asked. 

"Will," Xander replied, "Whatever else changed, Angel was still born sometime back in the Dark Ages." 

"No, I think the seventeenth century was the end of the Renaissance, way after the Dark Ages," Willow remarked. "Anyway, I mean Angel isn't physically 243 years old." 

Buffy shrugged, "I guess he just starts at whatever age he was at when Darla turned him into a vampire. I never asked how old he was then, it wasn't important, since I'd catch up to him eventually." 

================================================================= 

Angel sat quietly in the garden behind the hospital. His and Buffy's expedition to the roof Sunday morning hadn't gone unnoticed by the staff. On the other hand, they been pretty nice about it. The doctor just said that any future trips would be taken with Angel in a wheelchair, at least until he'd been released from the hospital. 

Which wasn't that bad. Angel picked at the peeling skin on his nose. After he and Buffy had spent the whole day out in the garden Sunday, the nurses had also given him a lecture on skin cancer and a bottle of sunscreen. Angel had had to fight to keep a straight face during the nurses' very well meaning speech. It was just so strange to think of reddened skin as a "sunburn". 

The sunburn, more than anything else, brought home the reality of what had happened. It was a constant reminder that this was more than some daydream (he hadn't remember how much sunburns itched in centuries). 

He had a life again, a future. He had no clue what to do with it. Besides spending as much of it as humanly possible with Buffy. 

Angel knew Buffy and her friends were mostly planning on going to college the following year. He decided to ask Giles what one had to do to get in. He had a feeling that his lack of a high school degree or even a birth certificate might prove problematic. Still it seemed like a good place to start a life. 

Angel stretched his hands out, feeling the sun caress his skin and smiled. He felt good for the first time in longer than he could remember. Free from the night, from the demon that had possessed him for so long. Even the guilt and remorse that had shadowed him since regaining his soul seemed less consuming. 

As horrible as Angelus' actions had been, Angel couldn't feel quite as responsible for them as he had before. In fact even his memories of those atrocities were becoming foggy. It was as if that part of his life, the part where he'd been without a soul had been burned away with the demon. 

This was like a fresh start, a chance to reclaim the life he'd thrown away the night he'd met Darla. A chance to do things right this time. 

================================================================= 

Buffy felt this party was going much better than the welcome home party her friends had thrown for her after she came back to Sunnydale. For one thing there weren't any undercurrents of hurt feelings, and for another thing, no zombies had shown up yet. 

Just a quiet peaceful dinner with the people she was closest to. It even seemed like Giles and Xander had finally forgiven Angel for the whole Angelus incident last year. 

Giles' news that the plane bearing the Shadwen back to England had disappeared over the Pacific without a trace was only a minor blemish on the evening. 

Buffy couldn't help but feel that they ere just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Things were too perfect and this was Sunnydale after all. 

"So the crisis is over?" Xander asked. "We won again, right?" 

"I don't know," Buffy said. "Kelvasus' bunch still seems pretty active around town." 

"Speaking of which, we should go on a patrol tonight," Giles said. 

"Awe, we can skip one night," Buffy pouted wrapping her arms around Angel's. "Tonight's special, you wouldn't want me to just abandon Angel on his first night out of the hospital would you?" 

"It's not a problem," Angel said. "I'll come along." 

"No!" Buffy and Giles chorused. 

"You just got out of the hospital," Buffy continued. "I don't want you to get hurt again." 

"I've been on patrol before," Angel argued. 

"You must admit things have changed dramatically since then," Giles said. 

"So what, I'm not a vampire anymore, I can still help." Angel stated. 

"Your ribs haven't even healed yet and you've still got several sets of stitches," Giles said. "Furthermore, in a fight would you remember that you don't have a vampire's strength or recuperative power any longer." 

"I'll adjust, I'm not helpless." Angel argued. 

"Nobody said you were," Willow said. "It just means you've got to give yourself time to get used to being more careful." 

"Which brings us back to the initial problem," Buffy said. "Patrol tonight, a bad idea." 

"We have to end the party soon anyway," Joyce said. "It's a school night, I'm sure Xander, Willow and Oz's parents expect them home at a reasonable hour and you need your sleep as well. You and Mr. Giles could take Angel home, then do a quick circuit of the town before you call it a night." 

"Mom," Buffy objected. "Angel's still recovering you can't just kick him out." 

"Buffy, Angel is an adult, he can take care of himself, and he can't spend the night here," Joyce paused. "Angel, I'm sorry, I just can't let you stay here." 

"I never would have expected you to," Angel replied. 

Still sulking Buffy argued, "It's still early, no one has to go yet." 

"Buffy," Angel's voice was gentle, "It's all right, we'll see each other tomorrow. We have the rest of our lives to spend time together, but now it's time to say goodnight." 

Buffy winced slightly, she hated it when she acted immature around Angel. Then she smiled, trying to put a good face on things. 

================================================================= 

Angel walked quickly toward the mansion. He had split up with Buffy and Giles at the cemetery gates. 

"Well, well, well, what do we have here," a pompous, easily recognizable voice announced. 

Angel watched grimly as Cletus and Nev materialized out of the darkness. Angel wasn't impressed, he'd pulled the same stunt too many times to have it work on him. 

"Angelus, what a surprise, seeing you here, in one piece," Cletus continued. 

"Sorry to disappoint," Angel replied. "But you've really got to learn to be more careful when you kill someone." 

"We don't mind," Nev said. "In fact we've been looking forward to doing a better job of killing you." 

"Yes," Cletus added, "Last time we forgot all about torture." 

"Don't expect me to make things easy for you," Angel said, taking stock of his surroundings. The picket fence behind him had definite possibilities. 

As the two vampires advanced, Angel repositioned himself, preparing to fight. Giles and Buffy's argument against him going on patrol were echoing clearly in Angel's mind. He grinned fiercely, Angel knew they were right but several centuries of experience had to count for something. 

When they attacked, Angel ducked, tackling Cletus at the knees. As planned, Angel's momentum knock the vampire off his feet, dumping him neatly on the picket fence. 

Angel smiled, regaining his feet as Cletus crumbled to into dust. 

"You'll regret that," Nev said quietly, circling his opponent. 

================================================================ 

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	5. chapter 5

**A Momentary Grace (part 5)**

Disclaimer: Characters and Premise are borrowed from the show "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer."

Buffy burst into the library Wednesday morning, panicked and panting for breath. "Angel's gone," she said, grabbing Giles' arm tightly. 

Giles looked alarmed. "We'll find him," he promised clasping her hand comfortingly. I'll make your excuses to Principle Snyder, then we can start by checking the salvage yard." 

================================================================ 

Angel woke in a barren, windowless room. Nev sat across from him, waiting. Upon attempting to stand Angel discovered he was tied to the chair. 

"I ought to kill you," Nev said conversationally. "Cletus and I were part of Kelvasus' original army. We grew up together. That was more than two thousand years ago, Angelus. Now thanks to you, they're both dead." 

Nev stood and walked slowly toward his captive. "Angelus, Angel, an ironic name for a demon," His voice was light, almost amused, definitely insane as he circled Angel's chair. "That must make you a fallen Angel." 

Nev stood behind Angel, resting his hands on Angel's shoulders. "A fallen Angel, but not anymore. It took me awhile to figure out what was different about you. It was so inconceivable that I almost missed it, but somehow the fallen Angel regained a state of grace. That's what happened isn't it? You're human, mortal once more." 

Nev's hands tightened painfully, "Is this your reward," he snapped. "You betray us, your own kind, to the sunlanders and become one of them? Is that it?" 

Angel screamed as his collar bone shattered under the pressure of Nev's grip. "My people died so that you could be redeemed" Nev hissed. "You must truly hate us, but oh how much more you must have hated yourself. That's all over now though, isn't it Angel. Fallen Angel, risen Angel, the soot's washed from your wings and you soar in the sunlight again. No more a cursed creature. It must have seemed like a miracle." 

Nev leaned down and whispered in Angel's ear, "I ought to kill you, like you killed them, but this is so much better." Nev buried his fangs in Angel's neck. Long minutes later Nev raised his head, Angel's blood dripped from his fangs as Nev lifted his wrist to his teeth. 

Smiling Nev said, "Get ready to fall again, Angel." 

================================================================= 

It was dusk, Buffy had spent the entire day in a fruitless search for Angel. Each hour in which he remained missing brought her closer to despair and now, with night closing in, the last flickers of hope began to fade. 

Trudging tiredly through her rounds once again, Buffy almost missed the familiar silhouette that appeared from the mouth of an alley. 

"Angel?" Buffy asked, a timid, hopeful smile dawning on her lips. 

The shadowed figure turned at the sound of her voice and Buffy flew into his arms. 

"Where were you?" she asked. "I was so scared." 

Angel stood in the circle of her arms, as cold and still as stone. Confused Buffy pulled away. 

Tears glittered on his cheeks as he looked down at her. Angel tried to explain, but words wouldn't come. Shock and loss had rendered him mute. 

Silently, Buffy reached up to brush away Angel's ice cold tears, the coolness of his skin telling her what Angel couldn't. 

"It was too perfect to last," Angel said finally. 

The End 

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